We love Australian Hip Hop

As the title says, we love Australian Hip Hop, and have been to see quite a few artists play. A standout experience was at ‘Beat The Drum’, the 40th Birthday Concert of the ABC Radio Station Triple J. South Australian rappers, The Hilltop Hoods were joined on stage by a who’s who of Australian Hip Hop for their track Cosby Sweater – have a look at the video above – its fantastic.

This post, however, is nothing to do with that. Nope, it’s about Bargara Brewing Co, who have developed a range of craft beers including one called Hip Hop, as well as Thirsty Turtle and Drunk Fish. Carry on reading to find out more about the beers and their newly opened BrewHouse in Bundaberg CBD.

Bargara Brewing Company launched their craft beer range in late 2014 with Thirsty Turtle. This premium lager was named in honour of the turtles who make their way to the beaches of the Bundaberg region every year from late November through to February. Thirsty Turtle was quickly followed by a pale ale, Drunk Fish. This beer was named after the tall story surrounding a fire at the Bundaberg Rum Distillery which resulted in gallons of rum flowing into the River Burnett. The story goes that shortly after, fish were spotted swimming upside down, the result of imbibing the local spirit. Historical records show that the fire really happened but any upside down fish were probably the result of them being dead rather than drunk. Nonetheless, it’s a good story and definitely a good beer.

The range has since expanded to include; Crafty Canine (a dingo reference), Rusty Roo, and Hip Hop, with more varieties on the way. Hip Hop the beer referenced in the title of this post is an award winning mid strength IPA named after the cane toad, an all too common amphibian in our region.

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

Whilst the brewery is named after the coastal suburb we live in, it had been brewed out of town and transported back to Bundy. This is about to change, with the opening of The Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD. The beer will be brewed onsite and on display to the public. It opened last weekend so we went along to check it out.

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

It’s a great space, they’ve renovated a CBD warehouse to provide an atmospheric environment where you can sample the range of beers. Tables are made from recycled materials including old cable drums and you have a great view of the vats. If anything, the beer is even nicer when served from the taps. However, if beer isn’t your thing they serve a range of Queensland wines from Symphony Hill winery in the Granite Belt. You can read about our visit to this region in our post ‘Swallow Don’t Spit’.

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

In case you need to mop up your beer, they offer a compact but sensible food menu comprising small tapas plates and gourmet pizza. We visited with friends and between us tried; Quattro Formaggio, Speck and Gorgonzola, Proscuitto, Rocket & Parmesan, and Farmers Pick. They were all very tasty and went well with the beers. There was also a couple of sweet pizza options, but we were stuffed from the savoury ones – we had to take our leftovers home and they were happy to provide pizza boxes to assist us.

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

Bargara Brewing Co Brewhouse in Bundaberg CBD

It was a Saturday night, and the provision of a bit of musical entertainment added to the atmosphere. All in all, a great experience. Sitting in a brewery, drinking top class beer, eating pizza and being serenaded. We can see this being a favourite haunt of ours. The Bargara Brewing Co get our vote for demonstrating that they certainly know how to organize a piss-up in a brewery.